EDITORIAL: Issue of scooters expected to grow

In advance of the Indiana Legislature engaging in a healthy debate about whether to regulate the little scooters that seem to be multiplying on our city streets, Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma spent time recently in Evansville discussing the issue with Sgt. Jason Cullum of the Evansville Police Department.

That’s because city police want to see tougher rules for scooters enacted. The possibilities are wide open; currently in Indiana scooter riders do not need a license, insurance or even registration before taking to city streets.

Even more problematic, Cullum told Bosma that almost two-thirds of scooter operators involved in crashes have suspended driver’s licenses, and almost all of those operators do not have insurance.

But the dilemma goes beyond freedom to ride. It goes to possibly denying low-cost transportation to those people who depend on scooters to get to work and to other necessary places.

Bosma said that Cullum asked him to support licensing of riders and requiring insurance and registration for scooter operators when the issue comes up in January.

Bosma said there are concerns about infringing on the personal rights of Hoosiers who ride scooters, but he said as well that the time spent with Cullum might have encouraged him to give closer consideration of regulations.

At the legislative session earlier this year, a bill to require registration, which had support from Evansville Rep. Gail Riecken, a Democrat, and Sen. Vaneta Becker, a Republican, failed to gain a hearing in the Senate, after passing the House.

Just as the number of scooters seem to have grown, so too can we expect that the number of lawmakers taking an interest in this issue will grow, come January.